Afghan forces kill 6 Taliban

Afghanistan says at least six militants were killed during special operations by the country’s military forces in two eastern provinces.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday that two military operations were carried out by the Afghan National Army in the eastern provinces of Paktia and Laghman.

“Six militants were killed and 10 others were wounded,” the Afghan Defense Ministry statement added.

The official statement also said that one militant hideout was destroyed during the operations by the Afghan forces.

The army also seized a motorcycle and various weapons during the operations.

Two other militants were taken into custody by the army personnel, the statement said.

In the southern province of Helmand, four militants were killed and one was wounded when a roadside bomb they were attempting to plant along a main roadway went off prematurely, according to the statement.

The Afghan army has intensified its operations to clear the militants across the country as Afghanistan is preparing for the upcoming presidential and provincial council elections scheduled to be held on April 5.

Meanwhile, the Taliban militants, operating against the Kabul government for more than a decade, have not commented on the recent Afghan army operations.